Circuit interrupter



Patented Nov. 30, 1926.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM A. KEUNE, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

UNIFORM-FLOW SCALE.

Application filed August 10, 1925. Serial No. 49,495.

My invention relates to improvements in uniform flow scale, and it consist-s in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provlde a uniform flow scale of the character described, the purpose of which is to w'e1gh materials when the materials are flowing or in motion, as the flow of grain, coal, or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a uniform flow scale, in which the relative rate of flow is indicated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a uniform flow scale of the character described, which is capable of adjustment for materials of various weights.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which is simple in construction, accurate in operation, and thoroughly practical commercially.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of an embodiment of my invention, the electrical circuit therefor being shown diagrammatically.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device illustrated in Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of a part of the device.

In carrying out my invention, I make use of a disk 1 of insulating material, preferably fiber. This disk is secured to a rearwardly extending hub member 2, which hub member is rotatably mounted upon a shaft 3. The shaft 3 is fixed at 4 to the upper end of a bracket 5, so that its axis lies in a horizontal plane.

The bracket 5 is secured at its lowermost end at 6 to a supporting surface 7. A substantially vertical. tubular member 8 is provided, and has a plurality of inclined slides or slideways 9 in staggered relation with respect to one another, secured to the inner side walls of the member 8. These slide ways are so arranged as to permit grain 11 or other materials, when poured into the top of the tubular member 8, as from a hopper 10, to flow over the upper surfaces of the slideways 9, or from one slideway to the other, and then through the lowermost end 12 of the tube.

The tubular member 8 is secured by means of a bale 13 to the lowermost end of the flexible metal strap 14. The upper end of the strap 14 is secured to the peripheral wall of the hub 2.

A rod 15 is secured at its innermost end. to the disk 1 at the center thereof, and extends radially therefrom to a point beyond the peripheral edge 16 of the disk. The weight 17 is slidably mounted upon the rod 17, and is provided with a set screw 18 for securing the weight against movement with respect to the rod at will.

When the device is not in operation, the weight 17 will maintain the disk 1 in a position with the weight directly beneath the axis of the disk. The strap 14 is partially wound upon the hub 2.

When weight is brought to bear upon the tubular member 8, as by movement of the grain 11 over the slideways 9, the strap 14 will be drawn downwardly by virtue of such weight, so as to cause the hub 2 to rotate against the force of the weight 17.

The degree of rotation of the disk 1 with its hub 2 is proportioned to increase or decrease the weight or quantity of the grain 11 or other materials placed upon the slideways 9.

Means for accurately registering the force exerted upon the tubular member 8 is provided in a plurality of radially extending contact members 19. In the present form of the invention, I have shown it thus, so that calibration may be brought about in ounce equivalents. The contact members 19 are all connected in series through resistances 20, one end 21 of the resistances, i. e., that end associated with the uppermost end of the contact members 19, when the device is in such position as shown in Figure 1, is connected with a conductor 22 having its opposite end connected to a resistance23. The opposite terminal of the resistance 23 is connected to an ammeter 24, and the oppo site terminal of the ammeter is connected by means of the conductor 25 to a watthour meter. The source of constant electromotive force is shown at 27 in the form of a generator which is connected to the opposite terminal of the watt-hour meter 26, and has its remaining terminal connected to a conductor 28, which conductor is connected Patented Nov. 30, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

JOHN B. MAONEILL, F WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CIRCUIT IN TERRUITER.

Application filed J uly 30,

My invention relates to circuit interrupt ers and particularly to circuit interrupters of the panel or switchboard type.

One object of my invention is to provide an interrupter of the above indicated character that shall eliminate the danger of explosions caused by arcs in mines or other places having explosive surrounding mediums.

Another-object of my invention is to provide a circuit interrupter that shall utilize the arc forces, attending the opening of a circuit, to reduce the arcs, thereby reducing 'the amount of arc gases, prolonging the life of the contact members and rendering the interrupter more economical and effective.

Heretofore, the arcing attending the mechanical interruption of'an electric cir cuit has been a source of a great deal of damage and expense, not only to the in terrupter itself but to surrounding objects. Auxiliary contact members to protect the main, and usually more expensive, contact members, magnetic blow-out devices and 2 safety boxes of various types, to prevent ignition of surrounding gaseous media, have been employed.

Where boxes, or other means, have been employed to prevent ignition of surrounding media, the sole object, to the best of applicants knowledge, has been to prevent the emission of flame.

In practicing my invention, I provide a circuit interrupter in which the arcing con- 86 tact members are provided with an enclosing are chamber to, not only, prevent the emission of flame but to reduce the arcs by pressure, thereby extinguishing the same quickly, rendering the interrupter more economical and effective, and preventing the emission of arc flame to surrounding objects and media.

The single figure of the accompanying drawings is a side View, partially in section and partially in elevation, of a circuit interrupter embodying my invention.

A circuit interrupter 1 embodying my invention comprises, in general, a supporting panel 2, main stationarycontact members 3, a main movable bridging contact member 4, a pivoted supporting member 5 for the brid 'ng contact member 4, an operating hand l e 6, an auxiliary stationary contact member 7, an auxiliary movable contact member 8 and an enclosing casing or cyl- 1920. Serial No. 400,073.

inder 9 supported on the panel 2 and surrounding the auxiliary contact members 7 and 8. c

Pins 10 and 11, in brackets 12 that are mounted on the panel 2, pivotally support the member 5 and the operating handle 6, respectively, that are operatively connected in a usual manner, as by a latch 13, a member 14, a spring device 15, and other members (not shown) and adapted to be electrically or manually tripped by a tripping device 16, only a portion of which is shown.

Studs or bolts 17 and 18 extending through the panel 2, and nuts 19 thereon secure the lower and the upper main stationary contact members 3, respectively, to the panel 2. A similar stud 20 and nuts 21 secure the stationary auxiliary contact member 7 to the panel 2 and co-operate with the stud 18 and the nuts 19 thereon to support a shunt conductor 22 that connects the upper main stationary contact member 3 to the auxiliary stationary contact member 7.

A collar 23, embracing the stud 20, serves as a support and as an end closure for the cylinder 9 that projects from the panel 2. The outer end of the cylinder 9 is provided with a closure wall 24 having a bearing portion 25 for a conducting piston rod 26 that may form a continuation of, or be connected to, the auxiliary movable contact member 8. A piston 27 is mounted on the rod 26 and. is adapted to move outwardly therewith to a position beyond a plurality of ports 28 in the side walls, and adjacent to the wall 24:, of the cylinder 9,

A projecting portion 29 on the pivoted supporting member 5 is provided with a slot 30 through which a pin 31 extends to pivotally connect the piston rod 26, at its 95 outer end, to the supporting member 5.

The slot 30 extends, at its upper portion,, substantially radially with respect to the pivot pin 10 to compensate for the difier ences in directions of movement between the piston rod 26 and the supporting member 5 and, at its lower portion, is curved or extended, for a relatively short distance, substantially on an are about the pivot pin 10 to'provide lost motion between the piston rod 26 and the supporting member 5. The lost-motion connection permits the main bridging contact member 4 to move slightly in advance of the auxiliary movable contact member 8 when the interrupter is opened. 

